Complaint Filed Over Letter Sent To Farmington Voters

FARMINGTON — A member of a community watchdog group has filed a complaint with the state, claiming that the town has illegally advocated passage of the high school building project.

Sam Iritano, a resident and treasurer of Citizens for Community Action, contends that a special edition of The Farmington Town Letter, dated Sept. 14, violates state law by advocating passage of the $12.1 million Farmington High School project. He filed the complaint Tuesday with the State Elections Enforcement Commission.

Superintendent of Schools Robert Villanova, who assisted in the preparation of the letter with Town Manager Thomas Wontorek, Wednesday denied Iritano's charge. Villanova said the memo, sent to every home in town, was a straightforward effort to supply residents with information on an important town matter.

``I've seen it as my responsibility to get word out to the public,'' he said. Wontorek echoed Villanova's comments, saying the letter simply outlines the school project.

Nowhere in the one-page, town- funded letter does it say that residents should vote in favor of the project to expand and renovate the high school. But Iritano contends the spirit of the letter backs passage.

At one point the letter states that the high school project ``must be a community priority.''

``It's the entire tone [of the letter],'' Iritano said. ``Most people would not read that and think that it is neutral.''

Jeffrey Garfield, executive director of the elections commission, said Iritano's complaint was received Tuesday in Hartford. The complaint could be invalid because the newsletter was mailed prior to the town council setting Oct. 8 as the referendum date for the project, he said. But the complaint will be investigated, Garfield said.

The Sept. 14 letter is broken into three sections, the first of which is dedicated to the reasons for the project. The other sections discuss the details of the project, the cost and what it would mean for taxpayers.